Francis Cubbon
Encyclopedia
Captain Francis Richard Cubbon MC
& Bar
was an aerial observer and flying ace
in World War I
. In conjunction with his pilots, he was credited with 21 aerial victories.
, Pakistan
. Cubbon was born in London but spent most of his youth in Poona, India. The young Cubbon was educated at both Alleyne College and Dulwich College
before attending and graduating Sandhurst
. He was posted to the Indian Army on 6 September 1911. His first assignment was to the Yorks and Lancashire Regiment in Karachi
. He subsequently was appointed to the 72nd Punjabis
on the Northwestern Frontier
of India as a second lieutenant on 1 December 1912. Cubbon was confirmed in this rank on 6 December 1913. He was promoted to captain with this unit on 6 September 1915. In November 1915, he was invalided home.
, 1917, he was assigned to 20 Squadron as an observer in Royal Aircraft Factory F.E.2
s. Frederick Libby
, the United States of America's first ace, gave a vivid description of an observer's duties aboard the plane that was an incremental development of the pre-1914 Farman Experimental:
And Libby did not even mention the hazards of spilling overboard with a propeller chopping along behind the crew.
Cubbon scored two victories on 24 April 1917 with Lieutenant R. E. Johnson in F.E.2 number A6392. He then flew with Captain Frederick Thayre for the next six weeks and claimed some nineteen victories.
Seventeen of these were over German Albatros D.III
single-seated fighters. Upon Capt. Albert Ball
's death on 7 May, Cubbon became the second ranking ace of the Royal Flying Corps.
. A German message drop confirmed their demise to British authorities, but their graves remain undiscovered.
The nineteen victories shared included five Albatros D.IIIs shot down in flames and eleven destroyed, an Albatros
reconnaissance two-seater in flames and another destroyed. A D.III was claimed driven down 'out of control'. Cubbon also added his two victories with Johnson—a D.III destroyed and one 'out of control'.
Cubbon received both the Military Cross
on 11 May and a Bar in lieu of a second award on the 16th, both being gazetted posthumously on 18 July 1918.
Bar to the Military Cross:
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
& Bar
Medal bar
A medal bar or medal clasp is a thin metal bar attached to the ribbon of a military decoration, civil decoration, or other medal. It is most commonly used to indicate the campaign or operation the recipient received the award for, and multiple bars on the same medal are used to indicate that the...
was an aerial observer and flying ace
Flying ace
A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down several enemy aircraft during aerial combat. The actual number of aerial victories required to officially qualify as an "ace" has varied, but is usually considered to be five or more...
in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. In conjunction with his pilots, he was credited with 21 aerial victories.
Early life and service
Francis Richard Cubbon was the only surviving son of his parents' marriage. His father was Captain Richard Cubbon, a supply and transport officer of the Indian Army; his mother was from QuettaQuetta
is the largest city and the provincial capital of the Balochistan Province of Pakistan. Known as the "Fruit Garden of Pakistan" due to the diversity of its plant and animal wildlife, Quetta is home to the Hazarganji Chiltan National Park, which contains some of the rarest species of wildlife in the...
, Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
. Cubbon was born in London but spent most of his youth in Poona, India. The young Cubbon was educated at both Alleyne College and Dulwich College
Dulwich College
Dulwich College is an independent school for boys in Dulwich, southeast London, England. The college was founded in 1619 by Edward Alleyn, a successful Elizabethan actor, with the original purpose of educating 12 poor scholars as the foundation of "God's Gift". It currently has about 1,600 boys,...
before attending and graduating Sandhurst
Royal Military Academy Sandhurst
The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst , commonly known simply as Sandhurst, is a British Army officer initial training centre located in Sandhurst, Berkshire, England...
. He was posted to the Indian Army on 6 September 1911. His first assignment was to the Yorks and Lancashire Regiment in Karachi
Karachi
Karachi is the largest city, main seaport and the main financial centre of Pakistan, as well as the capital of the province of Sindh. The city has an estimated population of 13 to 15 million, while the total metropolitan area has a population of over 18 million...
. He subsequently was appointed to the 72nd Punjabis
2nd Punjab Regiment
The 2nd Punjab Regiment was a British Indian Army regiment from 1922 to the partition of India in 1947.The regiment was formed by the amalgamation of other regiments:*1st Battalion, from the 67th Punjabis, formerly the 7th Regiment of Madras Native Infantry...
on the Northwestern Frontier
North-West Frontier Province
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa , formerly known as the North-West Frontier Province and various other names, is one of the four provinces of Pakistan, located in the north-west of the country...
of India as a second lieutenant on 1 December 1912. Cubbon was confirmed in this rank on 6 December 1913. He was promoted to captain with this unit on 6 September 1915. In November 1915, he was invalided home.
Service in Royal Flying Corps
Like so many invalided and convalescent land soldiers of World War I, Cubbon volunteered for flight duty and was accepted as an observer on 25 March 1917. By Bloody AprilBloody April
During the First World War, the month of April 1917 was known as Bloody April by the Royal Flying Corps . The RFC suffered particularly severe losses — about three times as many as the Imperial German Army Air Service over the same period — but continued its primary role in support of the ground...
, 1917, he was assigned to 20 Squadron as an observer in Royal Aircraft Factory F.E.2
Royal Aircraft Factory F.E.2
The Royal Aircraft Factory F.E.2 was a two-seat pusher biplane that was operated as a day and night bomber and as a fighter aircraft by the Royal Flying Corps during the First World War...
s. Frederick Libby
Frederick Libby
Frederick Libby was the first American ace of World War I, and of all time, achieved while serving as an observer in the Royal Flying Corps.-Early life and service:Frederick Libby was born on 15 July 1891 in Sterling, Colorado...
, the United States of America's first ace, gave a vivid description of an observer's duties aboard the plane that was an incremental development of the pre-1914 Farman Experimental:
Cubbon scored two victories on 24 April 1917 with Lieutenant R. E. Johnson in F.E.2 number A6392. He then flew with Captain Frederick Thayre for the next six weeks and claimed some nineteen victories.
Seventeen of these were over German Albatros D.III
Albatros D.III
The Albatros D.III was a biplane fighter aircraft used by the Imperial German Army Air Service and the Austro-Hungarian Air Service during World War I. The D.III was flown by many top German aces, including Manfred von Richthofen, Ernst Udet, Erich Löwenhardt, Kurt Wolff, and Karl Emil Schäfer...
single-seated fighters. Upon Capt. Albert Ball
Albert Ball
Albert Ball VC, DSO & Two Bars, MC was an English fighter pilot of the First World War and a recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest decoration for gallantry "in the face of the enemy" that can be awarded to members of the British or Commonwealth armed forces...
's death on 7 May, Cubbon became the second ranking ace of the Royal Flying Corps.
Killed in action
On 9 June, two days after scoring their final victory together, Cubbon and Thayre attacked an Albatros two-seater and sent it down in a smoking nose dive. They were then killed in action by a direct hit from anti-aircraft fire from K Flak Battery 60 near WarnetonWarneton
-References:*...
. A German message drop confirmed their demise to British authorities, but their graves remain undiscovered.
The nineteen victories shared included five Albatros D.IIIs shot down in flames and eleven destroyed, an Albatros
Albatros Flugzeugwerke
Albatros-Flugzeugwerke was a German aircraft manufacturer best known for supplying the German airforces during World War I.The company was based in Johannisthal, Berlin, where it was founded by Walter Huth and Otto Wiener on December 20, 1909. It produced some of the most capable fighter aircraft...
reconnaissance two-seater in flames and another destroyed. A D.III was claimed driven down 'out of control'. Cubbon also added his two victories with Johnson—a D.III destroyed and one 'out of control'.
Cubbon received both the Military Cross
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
on 11 May and a Bar in lieu of a second award on the 16th, both being gazetted posthumously on 18 July 1918.
Awards and decorations
Military Cross:Bar to the Military Cross:
External links
- http://www.theaerodrome.com/aces/england/cubbon.php contains a detailed list of his victories